It is well known that the exercise and development of the hand, wrist, and arm muscles can increase one's ability in a number of sports and recreational activities. Such activities would include, golf, baseball, hockey, bowling, tennis, basketball, horseshoes, javelin, shot put, gymnastics, fly fishing, and many others. When properly exercised and developed, the additional resultant strength in the hand, wrist, and arm muscles can add to power and control.
It is also well known that regimens of physical therapy may include exercises of the hand, wrist, and arm muscles. This is especially the case when one has suffered, and is recovering from, an injury to the hand, wrist, or arm.
Besides sports and recreational activities, and aside from the therapeutic values, many other manual activities may be more easily accomplished by additional hand, wrist, and arm strength.
The hands, wrists, and arms can be exercised by a variety of wrist motions that are easily seen in every day situations. For example, twisting the throttle of a motorcycle, snapping the right hand at the bottom of a golf swing, or dribbling a basketball, are examples of flexion and extension motions. Pronation and supination motions occur when twisting a door knob or throwing a curve ball in baseball. Cocking the left hand at the top of a golf swing, or casting a lure with a fishing rod are examples of abduction and adduction.
While one particular such motion may be emphasized in a particular sport, it is desirable that all such motions be utilized in exercises to strengthen the hands, wrists, and arms. For one reason, it is desirable that the muscles be developed in a balanced manner. Second, because the muscles interrelate, the development of muscles which play a minority role in a particular activity may still lend control and support to those muscles playing a majority role.
Devices are known which have two handles which can be twisted about a common axis for flexion and extension exercising. Examples are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,184,234 to Struble; U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,417 to Nieman; U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,049 to Ciemiega; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,442 to Schill. However, the single and relatively small diameter handles employed in these devices cannot properly be used for abduction and adduction exercise motions or for pronation and supination exercise motions.
Devices are also known having two handles which can possibly be used for abduction and adduction motion exercises or pronation and supination motion exercises. Examples are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,161 to Melchiona; U.S. Pat. No. 3,132,861 to Horney; U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,164 to Griffin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,802 to Stoecker; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,727 to Wilkinson et al. However, all of these examples, with the possible exception of U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,161 to Melchiona, rely on rather complicated mechanisms which are subject to wear and fatigue and are relatively expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, some, like the example shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,727 to Wilkinson et al., cannot properly be used for flexion and extension exercises, while others, such as the examples shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,161 to Melchiona and U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,802 to Stoecker, do not have a cylindrical portion useful for properly performing flexion and extension motion exercises in a comfortable and efficient manner. As to the example disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,161 to Melchiona, it does not include means for adjusting the torque between the two handles.
Accordingly, none offer the versatility and relative simplicity of the present invention.